Dear Doves,
      The bridegroom in the parable in Matthew 25 arrives in darkness at the midnight hour. Upon the cry that the bridegroom comes, what is done? Quickly awakened, the five bridesmaids trim their oil lamp wicks and add oil for the trip. What oil do they use? They use their olive oil which is the oil of preparation.
      Then as now, this is the Season of Olives and Olive Oil in Israel. This is the time of plentiful harvest. Olives are the seventh and last of the species, or crops of Israel, to come to harvest. It is the harvest of conclusion of all. Who are Christians from among the Gentiles? Paul call us the wild olive shoots grafted onto the olive tree. Olives come due from September until November in Israel.
      When the five young women rush out to buy more olive oil, might that be when olive oil would be abundant, therefore available when He lived? Does Matthew 25 imply the Season of Olives and Olive Oil? This is an inference which can be reasonably made. The wedding feast would be just after His Second Coming? Backtrack seven years, according to the ancient Jewish Wedding model of a sevenness, and here we are in the Season of Olives and Olive Oil! Our Master, who knew Gethsemane very well, shall arrive soon for His bride. May we reflect upon the olive tree and olives in their Season. May we bless the olive oil lamps, beautiful symbols on route to His wedding feast. The Groom of Grooms will soon light our way to The Wedding of the Ages!
 
With Love and Shalom,
Jean